Page 47 of Before She Disappeared

Emmanuel leans his head against her shoulder.

“Did Angelique have her own money?” I ask now.

Guerline glances at me. “She babysat, had small jobs. Not a lot of money. But for her own spending.”

“Did you find that money after she left? In a handbag, stashed in a lockbox?”

“Angelique carried a small zippered wallet. It went missing with her. But...” Guerline is frowning.

So is Detective Lotham. “When we searched the apartment,” he provides, “we didn’t find any cash. Nor was the wallet in her backpack. Most likely, she had it on her when she disappeared.”

“How much in savings, Guerline? Hundreds? Thousands? I mean, if Angelique had been babysitting for a bit, and wasn’t one to spend money on frivolous things...”

But Guerline shakes her head. “Angelique spent her money on her extra classes. I did not like that. I would have liked to pay for them, let her keep her money for fun. But...” Guerline shrugs. “It is only me to buy our food, pay our rent, plus send money back home.”

I nod. So does O’Shaughnessy.

“Would a couple hundred dollars be out of the question?” I push now.

Guerline still seems uncertain, but Emmanuel nods. I turn my attention to Lotham.

“That’s a lotta cash for a person to be carrying around these streets,” I murmur. “For her to have all of that in her wallet the day she went missing...”

Lotham clearly doesn’t like this thought any more than I do. A girl as smart as Angelique definitely wouldn’t be roaming around with hundreds of dollars in cash as a matter of habit. And yet, if all the money was gone... She must’ve taken it out of its hiding spot for that Friday and brought it with her to school. For the something special she was planning to do afterward.

“I don’t understand—” Emmanuel begins.

“Could I come over to your apartment?” I ask Guerline. “Not today, I know you’re exhausted. But maybe tomorrow? Just... to glance around. Get a feel for Angelique. A fresh pair of eyes never hurts.”

“Wait a sec.” Lotham, using his unhappy voice.

“You and my Emmanuel, you find this note?” Guerline speaks over the detective. “This message for help from our Angel?”

Emmanuel did the heavy lifting, but I don’t hesitate to share the credit.

“Then you should come. Today. Now, please. This message was sent weeks ago. That is too long. My Angelique needs to come home now.”

The starkness behind her words nearly breaks my heart. I don’t know how I can blow off my second day of work already, but I also can’t deny her. Even the cops, twin faces of disapproval, don’t say a word.

I hear a distant rattle from the back. A second later, Stoney walks in from the side entrance, both hands on his light jacket. He stops when he sees the strange little grouping sitting in his closed tavern. His gaze goes from the police to the family to me.

I open my mouth, searching desperately for some kind of explanation. No words come out.

He waits.

“Your cat killed two,” I state finally.

He nods, as if this makes perfect sense.

“Then Emmanuel Badeau—do you know Emmanuel? One of your neighbors? He made a discovery on the laptop he shares with his sister, Angelique, the missing girl? So he came over, and I called Detective Lotham and then his aunt came, and Officer O’Shaughnessy, and, and...” I run out of steam.

Stoney nods again. He turns and heads toward his office.

“Do I still have a job?” I call after him. “Cuz if so, I’m gonna need a couple of hours off...”

No answer.

“It’ll be fine,” I tell Guerline and Emmanuel. “It’ll be fine,” I repeat to Detective Lotham.

Then I stop talking because no one believes me and we all have bigger problems anyway.

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